Thiamine and vasculopathies

Quantitative analysis of oxidized vitamin B1 metabolites generated by hypochlorous acid

Thiamine, a water-soluble essential vitamin known as vitamin B1, acts as an important cofactor in various cellular processes, such as metabolism and energy production. Thiamine is also thought to have antioxidant effects as a singlet oxygen scavenger and a lipid peroxidation inhibitor. However, the oxidation mechanism and oxidized metabolites of thiamine are not completely established. In the present study, we investigated the oxidative reactivity of thiamine and found that three products were formed upon the reaction of thiamine with hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Based on the NMR and high resolution mass spectrometric analysis, the HOCl-oxidized metabolites of thiamine were identified as formylaminopyrimidine (FAP), thiamine sulfonic acid (TSA), and thiamine sulfinic ester (TSE). To evaluate the formation of these oxidized metabolites in vivo, we established a specific method for quantification of the oxidized thiamine metabolites using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry coupled with a stable isotope dilution method. Using this method, it was shown that the oxidized thiamine metabolites were generated in the culture media of phorbol-12-myristate-acetate-treated neutrophil-like cells in a myeloperoxidase-dependent manner. Moreover, significantly higher amounts of FAP and TSE were detected in the lung tissues of the lipopolysaccharide-treated mice compared to the controls. These findings provide not only insights into the oxidative metabolism of thiamine, but also the possibility that the oxidized thiamine metabolites may be potential biomarkers for HOCl-related oxidative stress.

Photolysis of thiochrome in aqueous solution: A kinetic study

The photolysis of thiochrome (THC), an oxidation product of thiamine (vitamin B₁) (THE), used for its fluorimetric assay, has been studied in the pH range 7.0-12.0. THC undergoes photooxidation to oxodihydrothiochrome (ODTHC) which is oxidized to a non-fluorescent compound (OP1) on UV irradiation. The kinetics of the consecutive first-order reactions: THC→k₁ODTHC→k₂OP1, has been evaluated and the values of first-order rate constants, k₁ (0.58-4.20 × 10^-5, s^-1) and k₂ (0.05-2.03 × 10^-5, s^-1), at pH 7.0-12.0 have been determined. The rates of degradation of THC and ODTHC are enhanced with pH and the second-order rate constants k₁' and k₂' for the OH^- ion-catalyzed reaction are in the range of 0.002-58.3 M^-1 s^-1. The quantum yields of the photolysis of THC and ODTHC in the pH range 7.0-12.0 have been determined. THC, ODTHC and OP1 have been identified by chromatographic, spectrometric and fluorimetric methods. THC and ODTHC have similar fluorescence characteristics and emit at 450 and 445 nm, respectively. THC, ODTHC and OP1 with distinct absorption maxima (370, 344 and 290 nm, respectively) have been determined by a newly developed and validated multicomponent spectrometric method during the photolysis reactions. The on-line formation of THC by the photooxidation of THE may lead to the degradation of THC and give erroneous results in the fluorimetric assay of THE. A scheme for the photolysis reactions of THC in aqueous solution is presented.

Thiamine deficiency leads to reduced nitric oxide production and vascular dysfunction in rats

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Thiamine deficiency is a condition that is known to cause damage to the nervous and cardiovascular systems because it interferes with cellular metabolism. It is well known that the control of vascular function is highly dependent on the production of nitric oxide (NO) by NO synthases. Studies exploring the physiological relevance of NO signaling under conditions of thiamine deficiency are scarce. The present study sought to investigate whether chronic metabolic changes would cause alterations in vascular responsiveness.

METHODS AND RESULTS

By removing thiamine from the diet, we observed a reduced acetylcholine-mediated relaxation and an increased phenylephrine-mediated vasoconstriction in the aortas containing functional endothelium. Removal of the endothelium or the pre-treatment of vessels with l-NAME restored the contractile responses to the level of controls. Conversely, indomethacin did not modify phenylephrine-mediated contractions. We also used carbon microsensors to continually measure NO production in situ while simultaneously measuring the vascular tone. The results revealed a significant decrease in NO production. Western blot analysis showed a decreased expression of the total eNOS in the thiamine-deficient aorta compared to the control. Concentration-response curves for phenylephrine indicated no difference between the control and deficient groups in the presence and absence of SOD or Tyron. The NO donor DEA-NONOate produced a concentration-dependent relaxation response in the endothelium-denuded vessels that did not differ between the control and thiamine-deficient rats.

CONCLUSION

Thiamine deficiency modulates eNOS-dependent NO production, leading to a decreased vasorelaxation and an increased contractile response in the rat aorta.

Oxidation of thiamine on reaction with nitrogen dioxide generated by ferric myoglobin and hemoglobin in the presence of nitrite and hydrogen peroxide

It is shown that nitrogen dioxide oxidizes thiamine to thiamine disulfide, thiochrome, and oxodihydrothiochrome (ODTch). The latter is formed during oxidation of thiochrome by nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide was produced by incubation of nitrite with horse ferric myoglobin and human hemoglobin in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. After addition of tyrosine or phenol to aqueous solutions containing oxoferryl forms of the hemoproteins, thiamine, and nitrite, the yield of thiochrome greatly increased, whereas the yield of ODTch decreased. In the presence of high concentrations of tyrosine or phenol compounds ODTch was not formed at all. The neutral form of thiamine with the closed thiazole cycle and minor tricyclic form of thiamine do not enter the heme pocket of the protein and do not interact with the oxoferryl heme complex Fe(IV=O) or porphyrin radical. The tricyclic form of thiamine is oxidized to thiochrome by tyrosyl radicals located on the surface of the hemoprotein. The thiol form of thiamine is oxidized to thiamine disulfide by both hemoprotein tyrosyl radicals and oxoferryl heme complexes. Nitrite and also tyrosine, tyramine, and phenol readily penetrate into the heme pocket of the protein and reduce the oxyferryl complex to ferric cation. These reactions yield nitrogen dioxide as well as tyrosyl and phenoxyl radicals of tyrosine molecules and phenol compounds, respectively. Tyrosyl and phenoxyl radicals of low molecular weight compounds oxidize thiamine only to thiochrome and thiamine disulfide. The effect of oxoferryl forms of myoglobin and hemoglobin, nitrogen dioxide, and phenol on thiamine oxidative transformation as well as antioxidant properties of the hydrophobic thiamine metabolites thiochrome and ODTch are discussed.